25 Answers

Improper torque? I suppose they would leak. It could take time. they
could lose coolant to the outside and even mimick a water pump leak.
They could also in an extreme case, leak compression gases into
the cooling system. This can displace the coolant and force it out.
Your gaskets may be included with the ones that are failing on many
subarus. The gasket just does not seal. The procedure for assembly
is different than the service manual when they are corrected by the
independent subaru specialist. They actually use a different subaru
part. Using aftermarket parts costs alot more and unnecessary parts
are included in your needs list by people who are not factory trained.
First thing they say, because they think it is right, is that you need to
buy a complete gasket set and a complete set of bolts. (Way overkill)
Ask your subaru independent garage. They saved my friends cars
several times. They have devised methods that correct it, use the
highest quality parts, and redesigned the procedure.
Watch out for piston noise and bearing failure. let them inspect and
then give a smarter estimate. A low mileage used engine could even
be the low cost repair for a 13 year old subaru.

Of course, they would tear it down and update the areas of concern with
better parts and procedures before installing it. Good time to correct
those unexplained oil leaks at the upper head frames if you have the 2.5L

I havent seen that. I did not have to look any further after talking to my
friend at Roo-pair in tacoma. Sealed it right up. Took back the BS fel
pro set and bolts. Only one mistake, used a chinese aftermarket
used water pump instead of a subaru one. After these many
experiences with 2 subarus, I can say for definite, call Roo-pair ! , I tell
people now.
Also, if your thermostat does not fail proper testing. the subaru part is
better than a new one.

I had to lay beneath the 2.5L engine while my friend had it full finally.
Lay there for a half hour before I saw any leak. we had it idling part of
the time and at 2000 rpm part of the time. after a 1/2 hour, I saw the
coolant oozing very slightly and vaporizing immediately. I thought the
water pump weep hole was leaking and surface tension was carrying it
back.
A shop towel proved it was the gasket.

The original gaskets are like steel sheets and overlaid with a paper like
substance. when you get it apart, you see the paper like substance has
breaks in it and there is no polymer or inlaid sealing material like most
late model cars use. The gasket they used a few years prior, fits and
seals with an augmented procedure.

Also less expensive, you replace fewer parts, and you get the
additional parts the aftermarket fails to include in their sets. You have
to get ("the right stuff") sealer for sealing the head upper frame and
valve cover anomalies, according to service bulletins I have read about
sealing any aluminum engine part. It is non acid cure, unlike RTV.
But the method and procedures they do are not in any book.
That's where their tenacity has created them a market niche.

When I mentioned bearings and pistons, it is because they have been
experiencing engine noise as early as 70K.. After your reseal, lets say
30 to 60 days imagine it starts rattling at start up and knocking at
temperature. THEN, you go look at your bearings and try some
kentucky windage only to find out the piston design is a space saver.
they change.
Then they dance. can lead to earlier failure they say.
"Skirtless" design

I would want to know that before I started reassembly, considering, idlers,
tensioners and timing belt with water pump were all being done. THEN I
find out this tap was starting and in a month it was a rattle, then at 60
days it was a piston slap.

As i said, the procedure they developed at roo pair would change the
assembly procedure, so parts alone ? Then it's up to the courage and
tenacity of your tech. I would also mention the 2.5L with tensioner
rattle can be updated with parts from a TSB. improved "boss" on a
small cast aluminum piece bolts on before the tensioner and belt.
parts were available from genuine subaru website ask also for the 2
bolts of different length. otherwise your tech has to fashion them
himself.

Sometimes, the best course of action is to take your car to a qualified
professional. This is one of those times. Unless you tell me otherwise,
its been six weeks since your first post. I'm sure that you want to get
your car repaired and get back on the road with a reliable set of wheels.
If you're not supremely confident about either yourself or your current
garage, I would definitely recommend switching to a new mechanic
someone who is referred to by a friend. You'll save money going
independent, and if you can't find a reference, take your car to the
dealer. You'll be back on the road immediately and you won't worry about
breaking down.

So, you are right saying let word of mouth lead you to a technician or a
shop that successfully repairs your kind of car all the time.
Trust and fair business relationship you find is a 2 way street.
Subaru owners can be very loyal if you give them what they must have.
If you can do it faster cheaper and make a profit? They love you.

Yes, it's definitely a two way street.
My mechanic has taken care of my
cars for more than 10 years. If you
cannot get a reference, take your car
Subaru dealership, they may charge
you a little more but your car will be
fixed perfectly the first time.

The point being that the factory part causes the failure, the
replacement part causes the failure, the aftermarket part causes the
failure as long as you follow the manufacturers instructions. These
guys left the dealer, started a shop, used their ingenuity,
experimented, and developed a correction for the procedure and a part
that is not specified for it, but seals nonetheless............So, the
answer to the asker's question is best recommended they search, but
need to know what to ask, and who would know, and i know, it's the
independent subaru shop, or someone willing to do enough research
and find the answer. It is way too much labor to have to do as a
comeback. And selling more headbolts does not do anything but
increase headbolt production.

A reputable garage will do the work over if you paid them to do it and they
failed to either install it correctly or have the right tools or parts. What
you're suggesting is that all of these parts from Subaru are faulty? That
does not make any sense or all of the engine head bolts on customer
cars would be failing everywhere? I actually met someone who has
been part in this manufacturing process of engine head bolts and has
been doing this for 13 years and they make head bolts for Ford and
Subaru. Again, take your car to a real Subaru dealership. They won't
screw around with this and your car will be fixed, period.

Try re reading what is written there from the very top.
The factory assembly results in a coolant loss, inability to find the
leak can lead to engine failure.
The factory part and procedure are the cause, the gasket.
The asker says their "help" untold who, must have torqued it
improperly.
I gave you the happening I have witnessed using the factory part, the
aftermarket part, and was told the car owner was required to buy an
additional $60 worth of head bolts.
This recommendation changes nothing about the cause. The engines
leaked because of the choice of Gasket. They were also failing as
long as the factory recommended procedure was being done.
It's all there in the posts when I pull up the whole page to its
beginning. Try reading it all through again.
A subaru owner saves time and money and receives a different type of
handling by the independent subaru shop because the technicians
who founded it, came from there and said at the time, it was a good
place to be from.
They then went about determining a set of subaru parts that work and
do not add new bolts unless the bolts are used up from a few uses.
A good way to understand that is looking at torque to yield bolts and
their specs as Mercedes developed them originally. They report their
methods of determination.

I think you are confusing yourself because you change my words
around to a different meaning of your own choice as the posts here
clearly indicate. reread what you wrote after rereading what I wrote.
It is clear and posted here here that when those
vehicles leaked originally, the subaru procedure and parts were
causing repeated failures. Turning to the aftermarket was also
producing repeat failures. They are difficult for people to diagnose
without the knowledge and experience.
When you follow MFR. recommended procedure, it leaks, leaks with
the new part. somebody better start screwing around with it at some
point, or the piston slap will be the failure along with the coolant loss.
The noise starts after the coolant problem gets fixed. You can read
about it if you research it.
If you have one, and it starts rattling at start up? Try asking for help,
good luck.

That's really the concern with these engines, the bottom end may survive
with piston slap or piston dance but not be rebuildable. The independent
shop coolant sealing procedure may be being used in every shop now,
including the dealer. But subaru parts choice has to be the way the
independent shop carves its market niche.

So, you're right, it's probably the gasket , they're just using the wrong
one. I appreciate that you were there to witness all this, and I did read
back through your answers, but, this is a machine, and machines can be
fixed. It's true that Subaru had many problems with their head gaskets in
the early 2000s, but, in 2010 they solved this problem with the newly
designed multi layered head gaskets and have been using them for the
last five years. I'll bet you have not heard too many people complaining
about the head gaskets issue lately? Well, they can retrofit this multi
layered head gaskets to older cars. I've read many other posts online
where people have had their head gaskets redone with the update
version and are fine. The problem you experienced is with one particular
individual garage who may be unaware of how to solve this, that's
unfortunate. Again, if you go to an official Subaru dealership or call and
get more information from Subaru of America, you'll see that I'm right.
Years ago I had an old mechanic who became so frustrated with one of
my old 85 T-Bird he threw up his hands and told me the car couldn't be
fixed! Well, I discovered that he just didn't know what he was doing and
I found a new mechanic who was able to fix my car. If your mechanic
cannot do the job, find someone else, there's a whole range of people
out there with varying skills and experience, and no one knows
everything. You and the person who started this post just has not found
the right person to fix the car. Of course, you or that person could
always opt to just trade up for a newer model as I imagine that there's a
lot of miles on the 2001 car. And, now there's a piston problem that you
describe, not good.

The asker can get their coolant loss figured out, they can question
those in the industry where they live, and this can lead to them
making informed decisions, about THEIR car. If they get a recheck
and the repair corrected for free ? thats the point. if they meet better
techs? thats also the point and I am glad you agree. If they find that
their particular engine is their cause because everything was already
done right? Then a car that age may need to update a used engine
and use it instead. It is up to their engine builder whomever they
choose now having this info. I personally think that is the purpose of
this website. sharing info, thanks for sharing your info.

Hello!
I'm at a loss.
Recently I replaced my 4EAT with another used one with 60K miles on it (and a new cheap torque convertor I got from a transmission shop) after mounting it up, putting the engine...

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